THE BIKDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
am not certain that when this was written Kaup had examined a specimen, 
but think he made up this diagnosis from an examination of Gould’s 
figure. 
Kaup’s classification was endorsed by Sharpe, who wrote in the Proc. 
Zool. 8oc. (Lend.) 1875, p. 339 : “ It will be seen from the tarsus, with its 
scaled hinder aspect and its long wings, that the bird is a Kite and not a 
Buzzard at all.” 
I am quite unable to understand this statement, as the specimen under 
consideration by Sharpe is in the British Museiim stfil, and the hinder aspect 
of the tarsus is quite regularly covered with reticulate scales, as is the case 
with all the Buzzards as well as the Kites : neither have “ scaled ” hinder 
aspect of the tarsi, as I understand the word “ scaled,” otherwise every 
Falconiform bird has the hinder aspect “ scaled ” if by that word is meant 
either hexagonal or transverse scales. 
I do not mean to state that Sharpe was absolutely wrong in considering 
this bird a Kite relation, but it is not yet proven. 
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